One way valve

Abstract

 A one-way valve of simple construction comprises a body provided with appropriate bores and four legs which terminate in a valve seating. A ball is positioned between the legs which are then bent towards each other on the side of the ball remote from the valve seating to retain the ball in the body.

Description

[0001] This invention is concerned with improvement in one way valves in pneumatic mechanisms.

[0002] Glass machines are generally pneumatically operated, and there is a need for one way valves which are reliable in operation but yet cheap to manufacture and easy to replace.

[0003] In US 4 100 935 there is described a one way valve for use in a heat pump system which comprises a body having a head portion adapted for locating the valve in a bore and comprising an axial bore, a sleeve portion extending from the head portion and comprising four legs separated by longitudinally extending gaps, a valve seating formed at the junction of the head portion and the sleeve portion around an air opening provided by the axial bore and a ball positioned in the sleeve portion and adapted to seat on the valve seating. The legs comprise inturned end portions which restrict movement of the ball away from the valve seating. The specification does not describe how the inturned end portions are formed, nor how the ball is positioned in the sleeve portion, but it appears probable that the end portions are formed by an upsetting operation after the ball has been positioned between the legs, which is likely to be a comparatively difficult and expensive operation. Further, the one way valve is essentially designed for use in an axial flow situation, in which it is permanently crimped in position in a pipeline.

[0004] It is an object of the invention to provide an improved one way valve which will be cheap to manufacture and versatile in use.

[0005] The present invention provides a one way valve for use in a pneumatic circuit comprising
   a body comprising
   a head portion adapted for locating the valve in a bore
   a sleeve portion extending from the head portion
   a valve seating formed in the sleeve portion around an air opening
   the sleeve portion comprising a plurality of legs separated by longitudinally extending gaps
   a ball positioned in the sleeve portion and adapted to seat on the valve seating
   characterised in that
   the legs extend from the head portion to a collar on which the valve seating
is formed
   the legs being bent inwardly between the head portion and the collar to restrict movement of the ball away from the valve seating.

[0006] There now follows a description of two valves embodying the invention which description is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 shows a sectioned view of a first valve embodying the invention.

Figure 2 shows a sectioned view of a second valve embodying the invention.

Figure 3 shows a sectioned view of the first valve installed in a valve block.

[0007] The first valve 40 (Figures 1 & 3) is a one way valve intended for use in a pneumatic circuit. The valve 40 comprises a valve body 42 having a head portion 44 which is adapted for locating the valve 40 in an aperture. The head 40 comprising a parallel sided lug 46 and a cylindrical portion 48. In a groove 50 in the portion 48 is a sealing ring 52.

[0008] A sleeve portion 54 of the valve 40 fits closely over a reduced end portion 56 of the cylindrical portion 48 and is fixed in position by a pin 58. The sleeve portion 54 comprises an axial end opening 60 spaced from the head portion and formed in a collar 61 which end opening provides an air opening around which is positioned a valve seating 62 formed on the collar 61. The sleeve portion 54 comprises a plurality, namely four, of legs 64 separated by longitudinally extending gaps 66. A valve ball 68 is positioned in the sleeve portion 54 and is adapted to seat on the valve seating 62. The legs 64 of the sleeve portion are bent inwardly to restrain movement of the ball away from the valve seating.

[0009] Manufacture of the valve 40 involves the following. A valve ball 68 is placed into a sleeve portion 54 of which the legs 64 have not yet been bent inwardly. The legs are then bent inwardly to restrain the ball 68 between the legs and the valve seating 62, and the sleeve portion 54 is then assembled to the head portion 44 by pushing it over the reduced portion 56, and a pin 58 then inserted to retain it in position.

[0010] Figure 3 shows the valve 40 in position in a valve block 70. The valve is positioned in a bore 72 of the block and a locating bar 74 of a clamping device 76 locates the valve in axial position. A pin (not shown) may secure the head portion 44 of the valve 40 to the bar 74, extending through a hole 78 in the lug 46.

[0011] A first transverse bore 80 is positioned level with the upper end portions of the gaps 66 of the sleeve portion 54. A second transverse bore 82 leads into the bore 72 below the end opening 60 of the valve: the bore 72 is closed by a plug 84.

[0012] A vertical bore 86 extends from the bore 82 and is intersected by the transverse bore 80: a needle valve arrangement comprises an adjustable needle 88 mounted in the clamping device 76 and extending through the bore 86 and is spaced a desired distance from a valve seating 90.

[0013] The arrangement shown in Figure 3 is typical of the arrangement of one of a series of valves in a valve block of a conventional I.S. machine for the manufacture of glass containers, and controls the supply of air to a piston and cylinder device (not shown) which is connected to the bore 80.

[0014] In a first condition of the valve 40, compressed air is supplied to the transverse bore 82. A small proportion of this air passes between the valve seating 90 and the needle 88 into the bore 80. A major proportion of this air passes into the bore 72 and through the end opening 60 of the valve 40, holding the valve ball 68 against the inwardly bent portions of the legs 64. This air can thus pass freely through the gaps 66 into the bore 80 and thence to the piston and cylinder device.

[0015] In a second condition of the valve 40 the transverse bore 82 is connected to exhaust, and air under pressure is provided to the bore 80 from the piston and cylinder device. This air forces the valve ball 68 against the valve seating 62, thus preventing any passage of air through the end opening 60 into the bore 72. The compressed air thus is constrained to pass through the bore 80 into the bore 86 and between the needle 88 and the valve seating 90 at a rate determined by the setting of the needle 88.

[0016] Figure 2 shows a second valve 100. This is a valve which may be used in two different ways, either as a one way ball valve or as a flat check valve.

[0017] The valve 100 comprises a body 102 having head portion 104 adapted for locating the valve in a bore. The head portion 104 comprises a parallel sided lug 106 and a cylindrical head portion 108. Extending from the portion 108 (being a force fit on a reduced end of the portion 108) is a sleeve portion 110. The sleeve portion 110 comprises a series of circumferential openings 112, a first collar 114, a plurality, i.e. four, legs 116 extending from the first collar 114 to a second collar 118, the legs 116 being separated by four longitudinally extending gaps 120.

[0018] The first collar 114 provides an end opening 122 and a first valve seating 124 formed around an air opening which leads to the end opening 122.

[0019] The second collar 118 provides an end opening 126 and a second valve seating 128 formed around an air opening which leads to the end opening 126.

[0020] Two balls 130, 132 are positioned in the sleeve portion 110. The first ball 130 is adapted to seat on the first valve seating 124; the second ball 132 is adapted to seat on the second valve seating 128. The legs 116 of the sleeve portion 110 are bent inwardly, with the balls on opposite sides of the inwardly bent portions; thus the inwardly bent legs restrain movement of the first ball 130 away from the first seating 124 and the second ball 132 away from the second seating 128.

[0021] The valve 100 may be used in one of two manners. In the first manner, one air connection is made to the end opening 122 of the valve through the openings 112 the other air connection is made to the valve through the gaps 120, and the ball 130 operates to provide a one-way valve, while the ball 132 is inoperative. If used in the manner of the first valve (Figures 1 & 3), one air connection is made to the end opening 126 of the valve, the other air connection is made through the gaps 120, and the ball 130 is inoperative.

[0022] The second valve is particularly useful in conjunction with a valve block which has a series of standard bores adapted to receive either a valve to operate in the first manner or a valve to operate in the second valve. By the proper design of these bores and the connections thereto, a valve as the second valve can be utilised in all of the bores, thus avoiding both the necessity to stock two kinds of valve and the necessity of selecting the right valve to replace in each bore.

Claims

1. A one way valve for use in a pneumatic circuit comprising
   a body (42, 102) comprising
   a head portion (44, 104) adapted for locating the valve in a bore
   a sleeve portion (54, 110) extending from the head portion
   a valve seating (62, 128) formed in the sleeve portion (54, 110) around an air opening (60, 126)
   the sleeve portion (54, 110) comprising a plurality of legs (64, 116) separated by longitudinally extending gaps (66, 120)
   a ball (68, 132) positioned in the sleeve portion (54, 110) and adapted to seat on the valve seating (62, 128)
   characterised in that
   the legs (64, 116) extend from the head portion (44, 104) to a collar (61, 118) on which the valve seating (62, 128) is formed
   the legs (64, 116) being bent inwardly between the head portion (44, 104) and the collar (61, 118) to restrict movement of the ball (68, 132) away from the valve seating (62, 128).

2. A valve according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve portion (110) comprises two collars, (114, 118) each of which provides a valve seating (124, 128), the legs (116) extending between the collars (114, 118) and the valve comprising two valve balls (130, 132), one (130) between the first valve seating (124) and the inwardly bent legs, the other between the second valve seating (128) and the inwardly bent legs.

3. A valve according to one of claims 1 and 2 in which the sleeve portion comprises four legs.

Drawing